OSCE Chairman-in-Office meets Minsk Group Co-Chairs

MADRID, 14 November 2007 - The Spanish OSCE Chairmanship issued the following statement today:

"The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, met the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group, which negotiates with the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan a possible solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"The Co-Chairs informed the Minister about current developments on the peace process, which is becoming increasingly complicated due to the upcoming electoral processes in Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2008. They agreed that, in light of these circumstances, the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan should not refer to the conflict in ways that might worsen the situation, and that could potentially endanger the progress achieved so far.

"The Co-Chairs keep the OSCE regularly informed about their activities. This is the third time the Co-Chairs have met the OSCE Chairman-in-Office in Madrid.

"Minister Moratinos has been actively supporting the endeavours of the Minsk Group. He has met many times with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents and their respective ministers. Last June, as the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister Moratinos paid official visits to both Armenia and Azerbaijan."